Rebecca Riots

The authors of this study clearly never went to school with the class of cunts that I did…

Newswise – American teenage subcultures featured in the majority of American teenage movies and TV shows such as “Mean Girls,” “The Hills,” and “Gossip Girl” have led some to assume that all social aspects of middle and high school are negative.

That’s not the case, said Dr. Natalie Adams, a University of Alabama professor

“There are actually many positives to being in social groups during the teen years,” said Adams, an associate professor of educational leadership, policy and technology studies at UA.

“Social groups provide a sense of community and support. This is where many people find their life-long friends,” said Adams. “These groups also teach basic social skills such as negotiation, compromise, teamwork and communication,” she added

That said, Adams noted that social groups differ from cliques. “In social groups, members are free to socialize and hang out with others outside the group without worrying about being cast out. They may not do everything together – and that’s ok,” she said.

So, what’s the appropriate role for a parent to take when their children are navigating the social scene in high school?

“There’s a fine line between being a helicopter parent who hovers over their child and makes every decision for them and being an involved parent who allows their children to make mistakes and recognize that those are places and opportunities to grow,” Adams said.

“It’s not the end of the world if your child is not invited to a sleepover or if somebody says something ugly to your child. These are, in fact, opportunities for your child to grow in character.

“Let you child fight his/her own battles.”

Of course, Adams said, parents should not be totally hands-off.

“If the situation crosses over into the realm of harmful behavior – your child is being bullied or hazed – then, as a parent, it is your responsibility to get involved.”

Incidently, The Hills (on MTV and Channel 4) is TV Gold. I keep missing the new episodes what with being employed and all. But like, totally cannot believe Spencer’s sister is like,  totally friends with Lauren now. WOW.

Culling your friends, the process of periodically ridding yourself of bad and/or unnecessary people who are somehow present in your life, is not something you find discussed very often in those heap-of-shite women’s magazines, which are more concerned with the art of blowjobs and “making him want you”.

But I think there is no harm, and everything to gain, in conducting an annual friend cull. Where by you weed out the people who in the course of the past year caused you more trouble than they were worth.

Shithats who borrowed money and never repaid it, bitched about you, resented everything about you, from your new shoes to your superior lunch, flirted with your man/woman/sheep, took took took and never gave you the steam off their piss in return- kick them all out of your life and don’t look back.

I’m talking about the people who vomit their problems all over you but are never there when you need a sliver of advice, who never come for a pint on your birthday but yet pester you when it’s their birthday to trail your hole down to a private room above a pub, gift in hand, to celebrate THEM.

Maybe people are prevented from getting rid of..ahem…frenemies.. for fear of being friendless, insulting someone or burning bridges. But let me ask you, would you stay in a job you absolutely despised if you didn’t have to? Would you stay in a romantic relationship if you got nothing in return? And if your supermarket doubled the price of everything and booted you up the hole when you got to the checkout, would you find somewhere else to buy groceries? If you could do that, losing loser friends is just another step in the direction of a happier life. And it’s true: better to be alone than in bad company.

Get rid.